


Vanishing Act

by storyhaus



Category: She Spies
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-22
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2019-04-06 16:44:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14061156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storyhaus/pseuds/storyhaus
Summary: Cross has disappeared, can the ladies find him before it's too late





	Vanishing Act

VANISHING ACT

"Breakfast on the beach. There's something so great about that." D.D. grinned as she sat down to enjoy her meal.  
"But it tastes better when there's a guy to share it with." Cassie remarked.  
"Or the guy tastes better." Shane cracked.  
"So what's on the agenda today?" Cassie asked digging into her meal.  
"My turn to shop." D.D. replied.  
"Ooh, get some of those elfwich cookies." Cassie requested.  
"I love those little elves, they're so cute." D.D. nodded.  
"I have spin class." Shane told them.  
"What about you Cassie?" D.D. asked.  
"I might drop in at the office. I get a little itchy to kick some but if we're off too long." She answered.  
"Plus you get to see a certain master spy." Shane said into her coffee.  
"What?" Cassie looked at her.  
"You have been giving Mister Cross the eye." D.D. agreed.  
"No I haven't!" Cassie denied.  
"When someone says 'no I haven't', they have." Shane replied.  
"I do not like Mister Cross!" Cassie protested.  
"He's handsome." D.D. said.  
"And a sharp dresser." Shane added.  
"Sounds like you two like him." Cassie retorted.  
"Just noticing the same things you have." D.D. replied.  
"I'm going to get dressed." Cassie said and walked inside.  
"Mm-hm, she likes him." Shane said taking a bite of her toast.  
"Yeah...too bad though." D.D. nodded.  
"Why?" Shane asked.  
"Hello, Nora Novarro. You do remember that don't you?"  
"Yeah, Cross fell for Fed who was a traitor, Cassie is neither." Shane pointed out.  
"He said, 'Never let affairs of the heart interfere with your professional judgment' ."  
"Yeah but not even Cross can control his heart. Love just comes and kicks you in the stomach." Shane replied.  
"Don't you just hate it?"  
"Yeah...especially when I'm not in love."  
"Me too." D.D. answered and they sighed in unison.

"In love with Quentin! Those two are nuts!" Cassie said rejecting one dress for another.  
"Okay, so Quentin is gorgeous, tall, a real sense of style...with piercing eyes and a ready smile. Doen't mean I'm in love with him!" She snorted slipping into a blue tank dress and strappy sandals. "Quentin is--Quentin? I'm calling him Quentin!" She gaped at her reflection in the mirror and rolled her eyes picked up her purse and left the beach house.  
She dropped the convertible top on her Mercedes and sang along to Sheryl Crow's First Cut is the Deepest song, she reached the government building fifteen minutes later.  
With confidence she walked inside and took the elevator to the floor where her bosses office was.  
She watched amused as their tech guy Duncan Balew nodded to himself and stepped away from Cross' desk.  
"What are you doing?"  
"Oh, Cassie!" He nearly jumped to her amusement, "I got him a coffee."  
"He pay you extra for that?" She cracked.  
"I just thought it would be nice it being his birthday and all." He shrugged and held up an envelope.  
"When you care enough to send the very best." Cassie frowned, "You could have told us it was his birthday."  
"I figured you guys knew." He apologized and loooked at his watch.  
"New device?" She asked.  
"Huh?" He asked and led her out of the office.  
"You've looked at you watch twice in the last thirty seconds."  
"Oh, he'll be here in forty-seven seconds."  
"And you know that how?"  
"He always arrives at 7:45 sharp, unless there's a mission." He answered looking at his watch and counting down until Mister Cross arrived on the elevator.  
Cassie waited too and saw the smile turn to a confused frown as he checked his watch again.  
"Maybe he took his birthday off?" She suggested.  
"A day off? Mister Cross?" Duncan looked at her doubtfully.  
"You're probably right, something horrible has happened to him and he's being tortured by the enemies of democracy as we speak."  
Duncan paled.  
"I'm kidding! Sheesh! I'll get his address and we'll go to his place okay?" She patted his shoulder as she passed.

They pulled up in front of the high rise apartment complex and took the elevator to his floor where Cassie knocked.  
When there was no answer she took a bobbypin and picked the lock.  
"We can't break in." Duncan pushed his glasses up nervously.  
"We can tell him we thought he was being tortured by the enemies of democracy when he didn't answer the door." Cassie quipped as she opened the door.  
Duncan followed her inside.  
They were surprised by the stylish decor their mysterious boss used in his apartment.  
"Nice." Cassie admired.  
"We should check the bedroom." Duncan suggested.  
She nodded and led the way to the back of the apartment, admiring the photo's of Paris, Rome London and Melbourne that hung on the hallway walls.  
As with the livingroom the bedroom was decorated in masculine decor...it was also empty.  
Cassie went to the closet and upon opening the door couldn't stop the smile at seeing dozens of blue suits, white shirts and various colored ties hanging inside.  
She checked the dresser next decided nothing was amiss, though she was surprised by the colorful briefs she discovered.  
"Nothings missing from the bathroom." Duncan reported.  
"Nothing?" She asked closing the drawer.  
"All his toiletries are there." He nodded.  
"The dresser and closet look untouched." She frowned.  
"This doesn't feel right." Duncan voiced his worry.  
She pulled her cell phone out and punched in a number.  
"Hey Deeds, Shane still there? Good, meet me at the office...Mister Cross seems to have vanished."

"Nothing is missing from his place?" D.D. inquired.  
"Not a suit." Cassie answered.  
"Maybe there's something in his appointment book." Shane suggested.  
"Does he have an appointment book?" D.D. asked.  
"Guys like Cross always have an appointment book." Shane replied heading for Cross' office.  
"Guess we should check his desk then." D.D. added and followed her.  
"I'll do it." Cassie said and went past them and walked to Cross' desk and opened drawers.  
She had to use the bobby pin to unlock the top drawer.  
"A PDA." She held it up triumphantly.  
"It doesn't feel right. Like we're prying." Duncan fretted.  
"Justine Navarro." Cassie looked at him.  
Duncan sighed and nodded taking the PDA. He hoped Mister Cross was okay, he really liked his boss, the man treated him decently, was patient with him...most of the time.  
He didn't want someone like Justine Navarro coming after him again.  
"We should talk to some of the other agents to be sure we're on the right track...that he's not on a private assignment or just gone away for a while." D.D. suggested.  
Cassie nodded and led them out of the office to talk to their co-workers while Duncan worked on the PDA.

No one the women talked to knew where Mister Cross was, he'd made no mention of personal plans or a mission.  
As they arrived back at the office they went over to Duncan hoping he'd had better luck.  
"Tell us you found something." Shane requested.  
"Last night, two notations--"  
"Excuse me."  
They moved out of the way to allow another agent access to Mister Cross office.  
"Let's go to your lab." Cassie lowered her voice as they moved away.  
"Hey Clare did Quentin leave the Maltari file with you, it's not in his office."  
"No." The secretary shook her head.  
"Oh." Duncan bit his lip.  
"What?" D.D. asked.  
"Look at the 11:30 appointment." He handed the PDA to her.  
"J.D. file M." She read.  
"The Maltari file maybe?" Shane questioned.  
"Who's J.D.?" Cassie asked.  
"Another agent?" Shane shrugged.  
D.D. sat at Duncan's computer and typed quickly.  
"Five J.D.'s on staff." She reported.  
"Let's talk to them." Cassie ordered.  
"The second notation." Duncan reminded.  
"And?" Sheane looked at him.  
"E.K./S.D. 12:15." He answered.  
"Again with the initials." Cassie sighed.  
"He is a spy." D.D. half-smiled.  
"And a possible double agent." Shane reminded.  
"Let's not jump to conclusions. If that was last night maybe someone saw him leave. Duncan and I will talk to his neighbors, you two find out what you can about Maltari, maybe it will give us an idea of who J.D. is." Cassie told them and headed for the elevator with Duncan in tow.  
"Call." Shane requested as they set to work also.

"Do you really think he's a double agent?' Duncan asked as they drove.  
"Like I said, don't jump to conclusions. Let's just see what we find out." She replied as they pulled up at the apartment complex.  
The four neighbors closest to Mister Cross' place hadn't seen or heard anything as they had already been in bed for the night.  
Cassie was feeling frustrated when her phone rang.  
"Tell me you have something."  
"None of the J.D.'s talked to Cross last night, I believe them." Shane answered.  
"We're not quite finished here so go back to the beach house, we'll meet you there." Cassie answered.  
"Okay." Shane hung up.  
"Let's try her." Cassie motioned to the woman stepping off the elevator.  
They intercepted her.  
"Excuse me, hi, we wanted to ask you about the man that lives in this apartment..." Cassie pointed to Cross' door.  
"Are you the police?" The woman frowned.  
"We work for the government. Did you see anything unusual last night?" Cassie asked.  
"I go to bed late...being retired and all. It was after the news...just before Leno came on. I saw his door close and a man heading for the elevator carrying a package."  
"Was it Mister Cross?" Duncan asked.  
"No, this man had blond hair." She shook her head.  
"A package?" Cassie seized on it.  
"About the size of a magazine." The elderly woman nodded.  
"Or a folder." Cassie looked at Duncan.  
"Excuse me?" The elderly woman asked.  
"Did you see anything after that?" Cassie asked.  
"Well, it was after Leno, I heard his door again and he left with two men."  
"Did he look like he was being forced?" Cassie asked.  
"Forced? I don't think so...he was ahead of them after all."  
"Is there anything else?" Cassie asked.  
"No." The elderly woman shook her head.  
"Thank you." Cassie nodded and led Duncan onto the elevator.  
"What's going on?" He sighed as the doors closed.  
"Well he was taken...according to Gladys anyway." Cassie replied.  
"Gladys? Did you know her?" Duncan frowned.  
"No, on Bewitched there was a nosy neighbor named Gladys Kravitz."   
"Bewitched? I've seen that on Nick at Nite." He nodded.  
"God I feel old." Cassie muttered.

Once they arrived at the house the foursome ate lunch and went over their findings.  
"I think it's pretty obvious." Shane concluded.  
"I can't believe he's a double agent." D.D. said losing her appetite.  
"I know. He was my first boss." Duncan replied.  
"We need to know what E.K/ S.D. 12:15 is. Any thoughts?" Cassie asked.  
"Obviously two people, the neighbor said he left with two men right?" Shane answered.  
"Is there anything else on the PDA?" D.D. asked.  
Duncan quickly checked the days before and after Cross seemed to disappear.  
"Meet E. for lunch." Duncan said, "That was Friday."  
"E.? E.K. maybe? If he met this person for lunch on Friday maybe he called them before that." Cassie said.  
"Too bad we don't have his phone." Shane sighed.  
"We don't need it." D.D. smiled and grabbed her laptop.  
"Cell records." Cassie smiled with a nod.  
D.D. worked diligently as Duncan looked on awed.  
"Cross is a double agent." Shane shook her head as they stepped onto the patio.  
"We don't know that."  
"Come on Cassie, it's pretty obvious."  
"Nothing is obvious about Quentin Cross." Cassie refuted.  
"I don't want him to be a double agent Cassie. I respect him. If you tell him that I'll deny it." Shane glared at her.  
Cassie grinned then grew serious.  
"I miss Jack but Quentin is a great boss. He has tons more experience. I mean ten years as a top field agent, he'd probably still be there if not for that last mission." Cassie sighed.  
"Nora Novarro betrayed him completely, than her sister Justine had the nerve to blame him." Shane shook her head.  
"Yeah." Cassie sighed again.  
"Guys! He made a call to San Diego the day he disappeared." D.D. called to them.  
"San Diego? S.D. maybe?" Shane suggested.  
"Can we get an address to go with the number?" Cassie asked.  
"Duncan is working on it." D.D. nodded.  
"Maybe E.K. is a place too!" Shane exclaimed.  
"Eureka?" D.D. asked getting excited.  
"That's one word." Cassie shook her head, "It could be a person in San Diego."  
"When Duncan get the address we'll know." D.D. nodded.

"Edwin Keller!" Duncan grinned triumphantly a short time later.  
"It's Cassie, we need information on an Edwin Keller." She called ComCent and relayed their FAX number to the person on the other end before hanging up.

They waited impatiently and nearly jumped ten minutes later when the machine beeped and printed out the information.  
"Edwin Keller...born 1935, died 1985. Made a fortune in government contracting...nothing to do with Maltari at all. No connection there." Shane read to them.  
"What was Maltari anyway?" Cassie frowned.  
"A Cuban spy network." D.D. replied.  
"Who would he give that file to?" Duncan asked.  
"I don't know but we do have this information we need to follow up on." Cassie nodded to the FAX Shane held.  
"What are we waiting on?" Shane tossed it and grabbed her purse.

They scoped out the estate then formed a plan to go in the early morning hours.

"Deeds, Shane, you ready?"  
"Let's see who's in da house." Shane joked.  
"Not Arsenio Hall." D.D. replied with a chuckle.  
"Go." Cassie ordered.  
The women made entrance at three separate access points.  
'Shane, security approaching your position.'  
"On it." Shane quickly and quietly dispatched the security man and continued to the house.  
'There's one headed your way Cassie.'  
"Another day, another dollar." She answered and took care of the second man.  
'D.D. you have one...no two...three...headed your way! DOGS!'

"Deeds!" Cassie radioed but got only static in reply.  
She took off for the shorter blonds last known location, arriving there was no one around so she quickly picked the lock and entered the house, being very quiet she made her way to where she assumed the security system would be...only to find two guards with guns.  
"Strike one." She frowned as they led her to another room.  
Shane appeared shortly after.  
"Strike two." Cassie gritted and they exchanged looks hoping D.D. was still loose.  
Less than ten minutes later the door opened for a third time and D.D. was brought in.  
"Sorry." She apologized.  
"All we have left is--"  
"Who are you?" A woman demanded as she entered the room.  
"Avon calling." Cassie cracked.  
"No pink for us." Shane added.  
"I'll handle it Eleanor."  
The spies turned to see Mister Cross guiding Duncan inside.  
"You know them Quentin?" Eleanor frowned.  
"We work together." Cross nodded.  
"Do we?" Cassie asked coolly.  
"Duncan has filled me in. J.D. was Justice Department. They needed to look over the file to get their prosecuting case in order. I left an e-mail for Ben which he probably saw after you left the office." He explained sternly.  
"E.K./S.D. 12:15?" Cassie asked.  
"Eleanor Keller, San Diego." He answered.  
"So who is she? A contact?" Shane challenged.  
"He's my son." Eleanor smiled at him.  
"You're Mister Cross' mother?" D.D. smiled at them.  
"More or less." He answered.  
"Clarify." Cassie looked at him.  
Cross merely stared back.  
"It's late, the drive back is long so you four are welcome to stay the night." Eleanor offered ignoring Quentin's frown.  
"Thank you Mrs. Keller." D.D. nodded.  
"The truck..." Duncan spoke for the first time, not looking at Mister Cross.  
"I'll bring it in." He held out his hand and Duncan gave him the keys.  
"My security?" Eleanor looked at the women.  
"We'll get them." Shane said and led D.D. out.  
"Go with them." Eleanor motioned to the other men who trailed the women, "I'll show you to your rooms." She added to Cassie and Duncan.  
Once Duncan was settled she led Cassie further down the hall.  
"We're sorry about this Mrs. Keller. He seemed to disappear--"  
"You care about Quentin." Eleanor turned to her.  
"He's our boss--"  
"You care about Quentin. I see it in your eyes. He hasn't had much of that in his life." Eleanor sighed, "He's been hurt--"  
"Nora Novarro." Cassie nodded.  
"The latest, yes." The older woman nodded.  
"What do you mean?" Cassie frowned.  
"It's not my place." Eleanor shook her head.  
"What did he mean you were his mother, more or less?" Cassie went down a different trail.  
"My husband and I met him when he was fifteen."   
"Really? How'd that happen?" Cassie asked intrigued.  
"Circumstances."  
"You're as cryptic as he is." Cassie frowned.  
"Just know that he's been hurt in his life...it may not be easy for him to trust." Eleanor answered.  
"I've noticed." Cassie nodded.  
"It's late. I'll see you in the morning." Eleanor bade and left her in the guest room.  
"Maybe it's time to investigate Mister Cross." Cassie murmured, hearing voices in the hall she opened the door thinking it was Shane and D.D.

"Thanks for understanding Eleanor."  
"They were worried about you."  
"I know." Cross dropped his eyes and half-smiled.  
"Feels good doesn't it? Don't deny yourself their care Quentin." Eleanor brushed his cheek.  
"It's difficult...I'm not used to it." He admitted.  
"Life has been so unfair to you. Your parents abondonment, the orphanage, life on the streets--"  
"But I had good things too. You and Edwin took a delinquent and turned him into a responsible man. I can never repay you for everything you did for me. You could have turned me over to the police when you found me in your house that night--"  
"I took one look at that scrawny starving boy and I fell in love."  
"I didn't make it easy for you." He sighed.  
"No, but you were worth the effort." She smiled.  
"I love you Eleanor." He hugged her.  
"I love you too and one day you'll be saying that to a lucky lady."  
"I did once."   
She saw the lingering pain there and ached for her "son ".  
"Good night Eleanor." He bade and headed down the hall.  
"Night." She replied softly and silently cursed the Novarro women before going to her own room.

Cassie softly closed her door thinking about what she'd heard.  
She would have never imagined the life of Quentin Cross being so hard.  
He dressed professionally, was well educated but underneath that was someone who had been abandoned and hurt over and over again.  
She reflected on her own feelings and knew she was physically attracted to him...maybe even more that physically...he intrigued her...he also fit her list of the kind of man she wanted.  
Taking her shoes off she slipped into bed and thought of the man just down the hall as she closed her eyes.

Quentin removed his clothing and climbed back into bed, hearing the commotion he'd dressed quickly and assisted Eleanor's security surprised to find Duncan lurking around. Getting the story out of the tech guy, he'd suspected, though Duncan hadn't said as much, that they thought he was a double agent.   
With a frown he realized that bothered him, that they, particularly Cassie, believed he would betray his country.  
As much as he denied it to himself he had feelings for Cassie, he had recognized his jealously over the incident with Carlito Gomez when he had accused Cassie of kissing the creep when in reality she had allowed him to kiss her in the name of the con.  
Quentin knew he would never act on his feelings thanks to Nora Novarro who not only hurt him personally but professionally, he couldn't afford either again.  
With a sigh he turned out the light determined not to make the same mistake with Cassie McBain.

The housekeeper showed the women and Duncan to the dining room where they found Mrs. Keller.  
"You have a beautiful home." D.D. complimented as they ate.  
"Thank you. Quentin tells me you three share a beach house."  
"Yes, it's a great house." D.D. nodded with a smile.  
"Only one room with an ocean view though." Shane complained.  
"It would have been cool had the second floor rotated." D.D. grinned.  
"Not mechanically sound though." Duncan shook his head.  
"Quentin says you're quite the inventor." Eleanor turned to him amused to see him blush at the compliment. "You made him a fleshy bulletproof vest?"  
"For being so tacit he sure talks a lot." Shane murmued to Cassie.  
"Quentin knows what he tells me never leaves this house Shane." Eleanor looked at her pointedly.  
Shane had the grace to look embarrassed.  
Mister Cross entered the room ending any further conversation.  
"Eleanor..."  
"You have to go?" She nodded and rose.  
"Sorry." He apologized.  
"I know better than to ask why." She rose and kissed his cheek.  
"I'll get my bag and meet you at the truck." He told the others handing the keys to Cassie who was closest.  
Eleanor walked them to the door and held Cassie back a moment.  
"Be patient with him. He'll be worth it." She counseled.  
Cassie nodded and headed to the truck climbing into the drivers seat, the front passenger seat had been left open for Mister Cross.  
They watched as their boss hugged Eleanor then placed his luggage in the back before climbing inside the truck.  
He raised a hand to his "mother" as they drove away.  
"We are sorry." Cassie said keeping her voice down so only he could hear her.  
"I understand."  
"We just...you work so much we never figured you'd take a day off." She explained as she drove.  
"I should have let someone besides the Chairman know I was taking personal time. I will if it happens again." He nodded.  
"Okay." Cassie nodded back.  
There was silence in the front as the others discussed a movie in the back.  
"Did you really think I was a double agent?" He turned to her after several minutes of silence.  
"I didn't want to." She looked at him a moment before returning her eyes to the road.  
He nodded and looked out the window thoughtfully.  
"Happy belated birthday." She said.  
"Thank you." He smiled.  
"Let us take you to dinner."  
"I don't think that would be appropriate."  
"A birthday dinner isn't appropriate? We messed up your plans, let us make it up to you." She requested.  
"It's not necessary." He shook his head.  
"We want to. I want to."  
Cross looked at her a moment then nodded his agreement.  
"Good. But no suits!"  
"Guess I'll have to do some shopping then." He joked.  
"You could wear that brown sweater." She suggested.  
"How do you know I have a brown sweater?" He arched an eyebrow at her.  
"We...Duncan and I...checked your place when you didn't show up for work." She cleared her throat.  
"Thought I was hiding in the closet did you?"   
"We had to find out if you'd gone away for a few days or something else had happened to you and you were being tortured by the enemies of democracy."   
He rolled that last part around in his head for a few moments then chuckled.  
"You don't do that often enough." She smiled.  
"What?"  
"Laugh. It's nice."  
"Not much to laugh about in our business." He pointed out.  
"I don't know, some things are just so crazy you have to laugh. Plus some of the bad guys we go up against are pretty laughable."  
"Not anymore. I'm pitting you against opponents more worthy of your talents."  
"Yeah, thanks." Cassie muttered.  
Cross smiled amused.  
"So, brown sweater then?' Cassie asked.  
"Depends where we go for dinner." He replied.  
"It'll be hip and trendy." Cassie answered.  
"I like a good steak."  
"A hip and trendy steakhouse." Shane commented.  
"Duncan can come too, a real birthday party." D.D. chimed in.  
"I can make a cake." Duncan offered.  
"A party and a cake?" Mister Cross shook his head slightly in amusement.  
"I like it." Cassie smiled.  
"Knock yourselves out." He finally gave in, " Now, about our mission--"  
"No shop talk til we get to the office." Cassie shook her head.  
"Ninety-nine bottles of beeer on the wall..." D.D. started to sing.  
Duncan , Cassie and a reluctant Shane joined in.  
Mister Cross shook his head slightly then leaned back against the headrest.  
He thought about the day Jack told him about the She Spies program he wanted to approach the Chairman with. Truthfully the master spy had been a little doubtful initially but realized he very well may have ended up in prison too if Eleanor and Edwin hadn't thought he deserved a second chance, so he made the call to the Chairman and the program, with Jack deservingly at the helm, was given the go-ahead. He never expected to be the one running it, of course he never expected to be forcibly retired from the field either after being betrayed by the woman he'd loved and being shot in the knee ending his field career.  
He had spent the last year in therapy, both physical and psychological, at the Chairman's insistance.  
"We're home."  
He opened his eyes surprised to find they were at ComCent.  
"You fell asleep." Cassie smiled at him.  
"Time to get to work." D.D. said and climbed out followed by Duncan, Shane and Cassie.  
Mister Cross exited the truck and watched them head inside then smiled.  
"Grazie Jack." He murmured, removed his luggage and followed.

End 2014


End file.
